Duplicating attachment for typewriters



Oct. 27, 1953 N. s. M EWEN 2,556,909

DUPLICATING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Sept. 26, 1952 INVENTOR mm .2 Mai;

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1953 DUPLICATIN G ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRIIERS Norman S. McEwen, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as-

signor to Mul-T-Typer Corporation, Richmond, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 26, 1952, Serial No. 311,579

This invention is a typewriter attachment, and has reference particularly to an attachment for standard typewriters for supporting a duplicating ribbon.

An object of the invention is to provide an attachment capable of being quickly and easily applied to a typing or printing machine for copying or duplicating and involving means whereby a ribbon carried by the attachment may be readily passed between the recording sheets passing around the platen of the machine and in proper position to receive type impressions, whereby the use of carbon papers as at present employed for duplicating purposes may be obviated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a typing or printing machine for copying or duplicating capable of performing the aforementioned object, wherein improved means are employed for readily inserting the duplicating ribbon between the record sheets or pages.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment for the purposes generally stated which involves mechanism of simple construction to enable the attachment to be quickly and easily applied in proper relationship upon the standard typewriting machine and without the necessity of special skill or equipment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an attachment whereby duplicate sheets may be obtained without the use of the ordinary sheets of carbon paper, wherein a single duplicating ribbon of inexpensive construction may be employed and reemployed to produce many copies and without danger of smudging either the copy produced or the original.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through a conventional typewriting machine showing the platen and paper rest, and to which is applied a duplicating ribbon attachment constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the attachment per se,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view disclosing one end of my improved attachment, and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view illustrating the manner in which the duplicating ribbon 5 Claims. (Cl. 197--153) passes from the spool to its proper position in registry with the type faces of the typewriting machine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, 5 indicates the platen of the ordinary typing machine and 6 is the rest forming a part of the machine and located rearwardly of the platen and upon which the paper is supported prior to being fed around the bottom of the platen and upon the front or typing face of the machine. It will be understood that the type and arrangement of platen as well as paper rest will vary, depending upon the type and nature of typing machine with which the attachment is used, and the attachment of my invention is so constructed as to lend itself to a variety of adjustments in order that it may be accommodated to a wide variety of typing machines.

The attachment includes a frame comprising an elongated bar 1 formed of metal, plastic or any other suitable material, the said bar being straight throughout its length with an upstanding reenforcing rib 8 at its rear edge and provided at its forward edge with a bevel 9 to facilitate feeding of the paper as it comes from the machine as the platen is rotated. This bar is to be supported transversely of the machine, parallel with the platen and above and slightly rearwardly of the latter. The bar is provided at each end with an upstanding or right angularly disposed ear or bearing plate H], the said plates being disposed in parallelism and each having a centrally and laterally disposed opening II, the said openings being in axial alignment with one another. The bar 1 is-of such length as to dispose the bearing plates I0 outwardly near the ends of the platen, and the distance between hearing plates is somewhat in excess of the width of the paper to be used in recording the copy.

At the extreme ends of the bar 1 are forwardly projecting arms [2, the said arms preferably .being formed integral with the bar and having ,their forward portions curved in conformity with the curvature of the platen 5. The forward ends of these arms are cut angularly at varying 45 degree angles as indicated at IS, the angles of these edges l3 being disposed in opposite directions on the said bars. The arm ends are also provided at their outer edges with finger portions H for a purpose to be later discribed.

The forward ends of the arms [2 have connected thereto the ends of a pair of wires constitutlng guide members 16, the said wires being disposed in spaced parallelism as shown.

A pivot or shaft I'I extends through each of the 3 openings II in the bearing plates or ears l0, and each of these shafts rotatably supports a ribbon spool indicated at 18. These spools are located on the outer sides of the bearing plates l so as to lie directly above the arms [2. Each of the bearing plates or ears [0 is provided with a leg l9, each having a longitudinal slot 20 at its inner end and a. laterally deflected supporting foot 21' at its outer end. Each bearing plate is also provided with a forwardly projected link 22 hav ing a longitudinally disposed slot 23 near its inner end and a shoulder member: 24* in its under edge at its outer end. The legs and links are ar ranged in pairs upon each of the bearing plates,

and the shafts or pivots I! pass through the slots 20--23. The inner end of each shaft has a nut 25 threaded thereon in order that the legs, links and ribbon spools may be tightly secured: totheir respective bearing plates.

In applying the attachment to a standard typing machine, the nuts 25 are loosened suifioiently to permit proper adaptation or adjustment of the legs l'9 and links 21' with standard parts of the typing machine. The attachment is mounted so that the forwardly and downwardly curved arms II at the endsor the frame rest upon the ends of the platen 5. The frame is so adjusted upon the platen that the ribbon 26 passing from a spool in resting engagement upon the underlying arm [2 and across the angular edge 3 in parallelism with the bar 1 to the opposite end. of the frame and between the guide wire is will be disposed in proper typing alignment with the type bars of the typewriting machine, being retained against slipping from the inclined edge I3 by the fingers M. In other words, that part of the ribbon disposed forwardly of the bar 1 and in parallelism therewith will bedisposed directly be hind the typewriter ribbon 28' as shown in Fig. 1 so that impressions of type faces striking the typewriter ribbon will be registered upon the copy ribbon 26 lying directly in the rear thereof and adjacent to the platen. When this position has been obtained, the leg [9' is slid upon its pivot r'earwardly of the bracket until the foot 21' thereof rests against the paper rest 6 or typewriter after which the links 22' are moved forwardly until the notches 24 thereof engage with the paper holdmg bar 29 of the typing machine. When these adjustments of the leg and link have been obtained, the nuts 25 are tightened so as to hold the legs and links in separate rigid position. When thus adjusted, the entire frame with the Severn parts may be lifted from the typing machine when desired and reapplied thereto without the necessity in any way of altering, chang mg or adjusting any of the parts of the standard typing machine. In order to produce a copy from the original sheet, the original and second sheets are passed into the machine down the rest and around the platen in the usual manner, the straight stretch of the (carbon or inked) ribbon 26, together with the threading wires l6, being passed between the sheets and the entire bracket moved downwardly until the curved arms I? rest upon the platen and the feet 2| rest on the typewriter, while the arms 22 engage the holding bar 29. When thus adjusted, typing may proceed, and the type impressions are reproduced upon the second sheet by impact of the type faces against the ribbons 28-45. By providing the adjustable legsand links i -22, accurate positioning of the reproducing ribbon 26 may be made, thus the entire lateral surface of the said ribbon may be utilized; The-fingers HI at the forward 4 extremities of the arms l2 prevent the ribbon from becoming readily disengaged from the arm as it makes its turn to pass forwardly in parallelism with the platen.

It will be understood that the duplicating ribbon 26 is moved from time to time by manually turning the spools l8. Adjustments of the legs and'links I9 in proper direction will raise or lower the operative stretch of the duplicating ribbon 26 so that the entire duplicating surface of the ribbon may be utilized. By this arrangement it is seen: that the maximum usefulness of the duplicating ribbon may be obtained.

I claim:

1". The combination with a typewriting machine platen and a: paper holding bar for pressing record sheets against the same; of a frame resting uponsaid machine, a pair of arms projecting, from said frame and engaged in spaced relationship upon said platen, a pair of links secured at one end to said frame and engaged at theirother ends with said-bar; ribbon spools-rotatably mounted at the ends of said frame, spaced guide wires connecting the ends of said arms, and a ribbon secured at its ends upon said spools and extending from one of said arms to the other between said guide wires.

2. The combination with a typewriting machine platen and a bar for'pressing record sheets against the same; of a frame resting upon said machine, a. pair of arms projecting forwardly from said frame and resting in spaced relationship upon said platen, a pair of links secured at one end to said frameand engaged at their other 7 I said arms, and a. ribbon secured at its ends upon said spools and extending from one of said arms to the other between said guide wires and adjacent to the face of said platen.

3'. In an attachment for typewriting machines,

a supporting bar, arms projecting forwardly from said bar in spaced parallel relationship, bearing plates at the ends of said supporting bar extending at right angles thereto in spaced parallel relationship, spools rotatably supported on said bearing plates and overlying the inner ends of said arms, a ribbon secured to one of said spools, said ribbon extending from said spool in supporting relationship longitudinally upon the adjacent arm, from the end of said arm laterally to the end of the. opposite arm and in supporting relationship thereon. to the other of; said spools, and. guide wires connected at their ends to said arms andarranged in spaced parallelism one on each side of said ribbon.

4. In an attachment fortypewriting machines, a supporting bar, arms projecting forwardly from the ends of said bar in spaced parallel relationship, bearing plates projecting upwardly from said bar inwardly from'the. ends thereof and adjacent to said arms, pivot members extending laterally'throug'h' said plates and in alignment with one another, a pair of legs each adjustably secured at one end to one of said pivot members and projecting rearwardly from said bar, a pair of links each adjustably secured at its rear end to one of said members, and projecting forwardly from said bar, a spool rotatably mounted on the outerside ofeach of said bearing plates above said. arms, and a ribbon connected at One, end to one of said spools and extending downwardly therefrom in resting engagement upon the adjacent arm, laterally from the end of said arm to the corresponding end of the other arm, over and in supporting engagement with the latter arm and secured to the other of said spools.

5. In an attachment for typewriting machines, a frame including a supporting bar, arms projecting forwardly and curving downwardly from said bar in spaced parallel relationship, bearing plates at the ends of said supporting bar extending at right angles thereto and upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relationship, a hearing member on each of said plates, the said bearing members being aligned with one another, a spool rotatably supported by each bearing member and disposed upon the outer face of the adjacent plate, a leg having an elongated slot at one end engaged with each bearing member, a link having an elongated slot at its inner end NORMAN S. MCEWEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,144,147 Malm et a1- June 22, 1915 2,058,859 Fried Oct. 27, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 514,712 Great Britain Nov. 15, 1939 

